


In which they all go insane

by Nyxx (Calyxir)



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood, Dead bird, Dead squirrel named Taehyun, Death, Gore, Horror, Idol Kang Taehyun, If Soobin never returned, Implied Sexual Content, Kidnapping, M/M, Masochism, Mild Gore, Mild Non-con elements, Mild Sexual Content, Obsession, Obsessive Behavior, One-Sided Attraction, Pain, Psycho Huening Kai, Psycho Soobin, Psycho Yeonjun, Psychological Torture, Psychotic Characters, Restraints, Rich Obsessed choi Beomgyu, Soobin is a cheater here, Taxidermist Yeonjun, Taxidermy, YeonKai brothers, Yeonjun and Kai are mean to animals, Yeonkai are weird, dead cat, handmade and personalized plushie uwu, human taxidermy, i rlly dont know how to tag, mentioned choi arin, slight angst if u squint, this never would've happened, very mild thou
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:46:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25766182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calyxir/pseuds/Nyxx
Summary: The title says it all.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun, Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun, Choi Soobin/Huening Kai
Comments: 24
Kudos: 86





	1. Handmade

**Author's Note:**

> This is NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. Eat first before reading, and read at your own risk. This is NOT a typical fic you would usually see me write. The themes and ideas put in here are purely fiction, and do not reflect the character nor the author in real life. I am experimenting with all genres of fanfiction. DO NOT force yourself to read this. I am not to be held accountable for your trauma. Ready? Here we go.

Weird. Animals. Choi Soobin.

The three listed above are what first comes to mind when you ask a random student in HELSSI University about Kai and Yeonjun.

Both of them were weird, for lack of a better term. Ever since Kai has started school in the same department as Yeonjun, Kai was the only person he was ever seen with.

All of Yeonjun’s previous relationships before he and Kai were in the same building were cut, it was as if Yeonjun never met them in the first place. Yeonjun never hung out nor ate in the cafeteria with Changbin anymore, nor does he listen to listen to Wooyoung’s misadventures with San.

Every day, Kai and Yeonjun entered and left the campus together, as if they were attached by glue, only being separated by mandatory class schedules.

Calling them weird is more of a euphemism, actually.

What do you call brothers who live as if they are the only two beings in the world? How exactly does one describe brothers who can almost communicate with telepathy?

How does one call siblings who found a dead bird in the field, brought it to the janitor’s closet, and then proceeded to dissect it just for fun? Is there a word that can define people who pocketed the bird’s entire skull as a souvenir?

Here’s the big question …why haven’t they been expelled yet?

Well, they never got caught by anyone with authority. No teacher or administrator has ever seen them smearing a dead rat’s blood on random book pages in the library.

Poor students, they’ve been bearing witness to these gruesome crimes and teachers would never believe them.

At first glance, it wouldn’t cross one’s mind to think that they are capable of doing such grisly things for their own satisfaction.

Kai had this… soft façade. One that made him look like a baby even when he was in his first year of college already. His laugh was childish, and of course, only Yeonjun would know how easily that funny scream-like giggle turns into maniacal laughter once a certain red liquid is involved.

He had a nice reputation with teachers, which made his underlying traits go unnoticed. He would fall asleep in between lessons, and would take on detention or any kind of sanction to account for his ‘disrespect’.

Yeonjun, his elder brother who was nearing his graduation, was the opposite. He had a _bad boy_ vibe and predatory eyes. He would often dye his hair different colors just for him to stand out. If he and Kai weren’t connected by blood, Yeonjun seemed like the kind of person to _bully_ the other.

Before Kai came, Yeonjun had many boys and girls falling head over heels for him. And sure, he had some fun with them, taking them on dates and doing couple-y stuff. He worked his charms on them, Kai’s awkwardness couldn’t light a candle to Yeonjun’s flirty attitude.

On to the next point—Animals.

Maybe some points of their behavior have come from their upbringing. Their deceased father had a pastime, a hobby he never taught Kai nor Yeonjun until a month before he passed away. 

And without their father’s supervision, Yeonjun went overboard with the knowledge and skill his father has passed to him.

Kai wasn’t really a fan of the act itself he’d exit the cabin (where Yeonjun would spend hours completing a piece of work) when things got messy, but oh boy, he loved the outcome.

Kai has always had a thing for plushies, especially the ones that vaguely resemble bunnies or dolphins. He used a Molang-themed bolster, along with other pillows, that helped him fall asleep. Even his school bag had small keychains that resembled cute animals that he could squeeze when stressed.

In his room were “figurines” of animals, he even had real bear fur as his carpet. His favorite was of a rabbit that has been immortalized almost into rock, forever stuck in a hopping position on his study table.

That rabbit was a personalized and handmade gift from Yeonjun.

Yeonjun had a flair for something quite different. Maybe this obsession with the variety of living things has manifested differently on him. He… enjoyed how things got messy… almost like how a painter appreciated the splatter of blue and green on their apron.

In Yeonjun’s case, he preferred the color red, and he wasn’t a painter. He could be called a… sculptor? No, his work was better, harder, and required more patience and effort than hammering a piece of stone.

That “hobby” of Yeonjun may be part of the reason he and Kai _intentionally_ ran over the black cat that has been loved by the students of HELSSI.

The “hobby” can be blamed for the shameless gratification they felt when they saw the cat’s guts spewed all over the campus’s sidewalk. (This may have been the reason why Yeonjun’s friends decided to avoid him.) They didn’t clean up the cat’s remains, instead, they posted it on social media under an anonymous name. Imagine the students’ trauma when they saw that… imagine Yeonjun and Kai’s hysteric laughter when their nerdy classmate fainted at the sight.

All of that was fun for them, but animals were the limit. Even they had boundaries. They would play with four-legged mammals and winged birds, anything higher up on the food chain, they’d keep untouched. Now, where did it all go wrong? Where did their “harmless” playdates get… well, harmful?

Simple: The return of Choi Soobin.

Soobin was originally a student of HELSSI University, a heartthrob who was associated with Yeonjun. Yes, he and Soobin had a past. This isn’t a surprise, like stated earlier, Yeonjun was a flirt, and when he first caught up with Soobin’s little crush on him, he started sticking up to him and being as clingy as ever.

They would buy ice cream together. One time, Wooyoung got jealous of Soobin because he was quote, “Stealing my best friend from me.”

Yeonjun took matters into his own hands and explained to Wooyoung that what he felt for Soobin was nowhere near platonic.

And then… Yeonjun started to invite Soobin into his home. Of course, Kai was there too.

Along with “weirdness”, maybe crushes were also hereditary, maybe taking a liking to Soobin was in their DNA; as soon as Soobin first walked into their home, Kai felt jealous of Yeonjun, jealous of how lucky he was that Soobin chose him, even when the answer reason was obvious.

Take note, this happened all _before_ Kai came into the same college department and _before_ Yeonjun’s father taught him his beloved craft.

Yeonjun was no longer flirty. Kai was no longer that angsty, emo, am-I-unlovable type of kid. Rather, they were now two siblings who shared a single, sociopathic view of the world.

-

“Kai-ah? I’m home,” Yeonjun said as he unlocked the door with their house-keys. His backpack pulled on his shoulders, the weight of the preserved squirrel inside adding to the mass of his lecture books.

He has just come home from the cabin where he hunted and shot the squirrel himself. The cabin was about a two-hour drive, it was outside of the city, isolated.

“Jun-hyung, it’s a school night. Don’t you have projects due? I swear, your constant need to chase and kill woodland creatures concerns me.”

Yeonjun was taken aback, “Says the one who begged me to pluck out a lizard’s eyeball just because you were curious about how its retinas would look like.”

“Hey,” Kai argued, “At least I don’t drive two freaking hours just to skin and preserve some animal.”

Yeonjun took out the squirrel in his bag.

Kai shut up immediately and rushed to take the squirrel, a real squirrel’s corpse, mind you, into his hands.

“Is this for me, hyung?”

“No, it’s for barney the dinosaur—of curse it’s for you. I’ve noticed you’re a bit down because of your test results… so… I figured this would get your mind off it.”

“This is great, hyung,” Kai said, hugging the small creature into his chest, “What should I name it?”

“It’s up to you, you named the bunny Tobin and I didn’t judge, did I?”

Kai looked pensive, stroking the squirrel’s tail… thinking of how it was alive hours ago right before Yeonjun shot it dead. It was like Yeonjun was playing god, and in a way, he was. He had the license to kill, when it came to animals, at least.

“Hmm… Ta… Tae… Taehyun has a nice ring to it,” Kai ran his thumb over the animal’s mouth, which was forced closed by thread.

“Taehyun it is.”

“Also… hyung?” Kai called, setting the animal, which was like stone, onto the couch, “Soobin-hyung came back.”

Yeonjun’s breath halted, he raised an eyebrow at Kai as they exchanged mischievous looks. None of them had to speak… it was an unspoken connection they felt.

They were going to have so much fun.

-

Nothing much has changed since Yeonjun last saw Soobin. His figure was still tall, his skin seemed to maintain its softness, he was still introverted and soft-spoken…

His hair wasn’t black anymore, it was now dyed an ashen blue and he had a hidden aura behind his eyes Yeonjun couldn’t quite place.

Yeonjun and Kai watched Soobin from afar, as if stalking him was a casual thing. Soobin hung around Yeonjun’s old friends.

“Hyung, don’t you ever miss them? Soobin and your friends? You can leave and talk to them, I’ll be fine,” Kai said while his eyes were still trained on Soobin.

“No need, Kai. They would never understand me like you could. As long as we’re together, I’m content. Like I always have been.”

Kai sighed in relief, this wasn’t the first time Yeonjun ditched socializing for him. Maybe it was their father’s passing that brought them closer, that made them realize they were stronger that way—just them against the world.

-

“Soobin, I’m telling you, Yeonjun isn’t right in the head anymore, he’s not the same since their father passed away,” Wooyoung explained while he, Soobin, and Changbin talked in a secluded area in their school’s campus.

“Why? How could a person change over a span of two years?” Soobin asked, Changbin replied.

“We’ve all been through change, haven’t we? Maybe even you aren’t the same Soobin--”

“Binnie,” Woo said, the both of them responded. Haha, right.

“… uhm, _Binnies,_ whoever changed or remained the same doesn’t matter, what matters is Yeonjun’s sanity. It’s like he and Kai are the twins from The Shining.”

Soobin was surprised, or at least that’s what his exterior showed. In his head, he has anticipated this. Yeonjun always seemed like one to easily snap and go rogue once something triggers him.

“Wait, Kai? He’s into these messed up stuff too?” Soobin asked, Woo and Changbin exchanged worried looks… because Soobin was smirking. He appears to be unfazed by the brothers’ behavior.

“Apparently…,” trailed off, still shaken by how lightly Soobin was taking this.

“Soobin, why aren’t you freaking the fuck out yet?” Changbin’s voice was monotone and serious, appalled by Soobin’s calm reaction to this.

“Because we’re all crazy in our own little ways. It all comes down to the question of _when_ the insanity will eat you up.” 

-

August 1, 2020. A few weeks before Kai’s birthday.

Soobin didn’t let Wooyoung and Changbin stop him from approaching the brothers. They were silently reading books on the library’s couch.

If someone squinted at Yeonjun’s fingers, one would still see the remnants of animal skin he failed to clean off. He was holding the book up to his face, preventing his surroundings from distracting him.

Soobin never intended to approach Yeonjun first. Admittedly, he was hurt because it seemed to him that the elder was intentionally ignoring him.

But then, a memory struck him when he saw Kai slumped onto the sofa next to him, legs stretched onto the table across them.

Soobin has been fond of Kai since he first set eyes on the boy. Even when he and Yeonjun were dating, and were the most obnoxious and loud couple in the university, Soobin loved getting Kai alone just to tease him and make him flustered. Soobin wasn’t born yesterday, he knew the younger had admired him as his senior, and admired him as more.

It was kind of the reason why Soobin decided to push through with dating Yeonjun in the first place, not that he would _ever_ confess that to anyone.

The first time he and Kai were left unattended, Soobin went with his intuition, rather, instinct and kissed Kai. It was a forehead kiss, a wholesome one with pure intent, one he never saw himself giving Yeonjun. He was shocked at himself for doing so, but when he felt Kai’s lips on his, he felt some sort of… twisted bliss.

It wasn’t long until Soobin craved the thrill of fleeing from Yeonjun to spend time with Kai. Perhaps Soobin treated it as a psychological experiment, with the other taking his sweet time fooling around with his brother’s boyfriend.

And of course, their affair was a ticking time bomb. Of course, Yeonjun found out and broke up with Soobin, just in time for him to transfer schools.

Soobin was snapped back into the present when Kai’s gaze spotted him hiding out back in the library.

His brother beside him continued to read, when Kai stood up and walked towards him, Soobin’s suspicion of Yeonjun being unaware of his presence was confirmed. He flipped through his book’s pages, preoccupied. Pulling Soobin behind the closest shelf of books, Kai acknowledged Soobin for the first time since he returned.

“Bin-hyung, it’s about time you came,” the younger said, enveloping his arms around Soobin.

“Kai, aren’t you afraid someone might catch us? Yeonjun? The last thing he would want is to see us together. I’ve learned the two of you have been connected by the hip nowadays, wouldn’t Yeonjun easily notice you’re gone?”

Kai spoke, his words muffled by Soobin’s shoulder, “Don’t worry too much, hyung,” Kai pulled away.

“I’m actually worrying for Yeonjun-hyung.”

Soobin frowned, “You’re worried about him?” He has lost faith in his ears after all the madness he’s been hearing for the past days.

Kai’s eyes widened, “Oh, you’ve heard about how we entertain ourselves, hyung? Well, Yeonjun-hyung and I grew up, I guess.”

‘Grew up,’ what a funny alternative to ‘went psycho’.

“Hyung, I know this might seem a bit rushed, but may I ask a favor from you?” Kai voiced, making Soobin’s ears perk up.

“Anything, Kai.” Soobin would admit, he was intrigued. What could Kai possibly need from him?

“Can you check up on Yeonjun-hyung? He’s planning on… talking to you soon about my birthday,” The volume of the younger’s voice dropped, “I know he’s planning a surprise for my upcoming birthday.”

Disbelief laced his reply, “What made you say Yeonjun would approach me first, Kai? He broke up with me remember? It’s been six months since I came back, and he hasn’t made any move to show his interest in talking to me.”

“Yeonjun knows I care about you, it only makes him care about you more. Especially because he _really_ needs you for my birthday.”

Kai took Soobin’s hand and put a small booklet in Soobin’s palm.

“The Rules To Taxidermy: Skinning, Preservation of Material, Plaster Creation and More”

-

“I _really_ need him for Kai’s birthday, Woo. C’mon, it would be easy--” Yeonjun was having a conversation with Wooyoung when Kai had overhead them.

Of course, Woo didn’t want anything to do with it.

“Soobin is hanging out with us now, Yeonjun. You haven’t acknowledged my existence for a year since your brother started here, and now you need Soobin for his birthday?”

Wooyoung grew wary of Yeonjun, and was glad Yeonjun never called him, never spoke to him anymore after most students claimed his brain was unhinged.

“You know how I always have to appease my brother, or else he’d run away. I’m scared of losing him. We’re the only family we have left… and now that Soobin’s back the chances of them eloping are higher.”

They feeling was mutual, Yeonjun was afraid of losing Kai and vice versa. 

“Help me lure—I mean, invite…,” he cleared his throat, “help me invite Soobin to my cabin. That’s all, then you won’t hear from me again.”

-

“Woo what do you mean Yeonjun called _you?_ He doesn’t talk to anyone anymore, he decides to call _you_ all of a sudden? This doesn’t seem shady at all to you?” Changbin’s head was clouded with worry for his friend.

“Bin, it is really sketchy and all shades of shady, if I do this, he promised to get off our asses. It’s a good deal--” Changbin cut Wooyoung’s ludicrous statement.

“Why is everyone getting off their hooks--”

“You know what,” Woo raised his hands up in defeat, “you’re right, just… forget I ever told you that, Changbin.”

A thought crossed Wooyoung’s mind, “But… we can’t let Soobin anywhere near that cabin.”

Changbin was shaken as the same thought entered his head, “You don’t think… Yeonjun would…? No,” he shook his head in dismissal, “They only do that to animals… they’re not a threat to… to humans, to us, right?”

“I don’t know, Binnie, all psychopaths started small.”

Started with animals, he meant. Ian Brady, also known as the Moors murderer took pride in killing his first cat at the age of ten, continued on to stone dogs and cut off rabbits heads before going full-on crazy and torturing five children in the 1960s. Jeffrey Dahmer, the infamous Milwaukee cannibal used animals to practice and perfect butchery by dismembering cats and dogs before he moved onto snacking on people.

And now, Yeonjun Choi, a young taxidermist who practiced his art by hunting down animals, and then skinning them and stuffing them with plaster until the outcome reaches his standards. Yeonjun Choi, who mercilessly killed birds and plucked out their feathers because he was bored. Yeonjun Choi, who needed Soobin for Kai’s birthday. Oh, what could the reason be?

-

Soobin wasn’t stupid for walking right next to Yeonjun and into the cabin. He really wasn’t stupid, no, not one bit. He wasn’t an idiot for waltzing into the lion’s den. In fact, he was smart for doing it. The Zodiac Killer should applaud him for how smart he was.

The way Yeonjun conversed with Soobin on the way to the cabin was casual. As if they never fell out, as if they were bestfriends. As if they were still lovers, even. This was entirely professional, though. They were being civil with each other.

Soobin decided it was about time to begin his act when he and Yeonjun stepped foot inside of the cabin. It was dark, but Soobin could see many eyes on him. Fake eyes pasted on the figures of the product of the taxidermist in front of him.

The taller one inspected the deer head on the wall. “This is… a real deer?” he asked.

Yeonjun beamed, “Yes, that was my father’s first work. I remember being queasy and feeling sorry for the deer as he skinned it.”

“What about now?” Soobin asked, once again trusting his ability in making his words convincing, “You can assemble these things by yourself now, right?”

The elder nodded, “Yes… and for Kai’s birthday… I’ve been thinking of upgrading.”

Soobin felt the need to whip towards Yeonjun’s direction, but the elder wasn’t facing him. Instead, he was fiddling with something on the table where his equipment were. The scalpels and containers clinked when Yeonjun cleared them out.

“Upgrading how?” Soobin couldn’t help hide the sudden shake in his voice.

Yeonjun chuckled darkly… Soobin’s eyes darted around the room, surveying the place in case he needed to escape—not that he was planning on it. And… behind the taxidermied bear was a six-foot structure, a concrete plaster of a human’s form. All it needed… was skin.

As if on cue, Yeonjun faced Soobin, an evil glint in his eyes, his hands wrapped around two deadly weapons. A pistol and a knife.

Soobin scrambled away, his back hitting the far wooden wall of the cabin.

“Yeon… Yeonjun-hyung, what the hell. You’re scarring me, cut the crap--”

“Oh, Soobinnie,” Yeonjun said in a sing-song tone, “The only crap that’s getting _cut_ here, is you. Don’t worry, you’ll be asleep the whole time,” he explained as he took a step towards Soobin, effortlessly spinning the gun and knife in his fingers that he feared would slip out of Yeonjun’s hands and impale one of them.

“Quick, easy way out? Or the hard way?”

Soobin didn’t reply.

“You know, _Soobin,_ you know what I mean. Do you want one clean shot, or do you want me to go slow and enjoy in my own pace as you beg for the mercy I would never give you?”

Soobin could make a run for the door and run as fast as he could. He could thread through the bushy trees and lose Yeonjun in the heat of the chase. That’s exactly what he did, he bolted for the door, only for Yeonjun to fire a bullet, which grazed his ear and embedded itself onto a random exhibit of his.

Soobin put his hand to his ear and saw blood when he retracted it.

Yeonjun tsked, “Aish, now I’ve ruined my gift. Kai would _not_ like a damaged… plushie.”

“Plushie,” Soobin kept up the act, exaggerating his movements as he looked at the six-foot plaster again, “Yeonjun, they’re right, you _are_ insane.”

Yeonjun followed Soobin’s gaze, admiring his blank masterpiece, “Let’s just say… Kai likes his gifts _handmade._ Personalized, special. And you… your skin rather, would fit his desires like a glove.”

His once sweet and loving voice turned grim and deranged.

“Yeonjun-hyung… you can’t do this,” Soobin said, taking a step, a literal leap of fate, closer to the taxidermist.

Maybe there was still a remnant of humanity in Yeonjun, because as soon as Soobin uttered the words, “I’m sorry, hyung. I still love you,” the knife clattered to the floor, the gun quickly following suit. His knees softened as he caressed Soobin’s cheek… he missed how soft it was.

The taller of the two inched his face closer to Yeonjun and kissed him…, but Soobin’s lips weren’t the only foreign body that came in contact with his body. The sharp tip of a needle pierced through Yeonjun’s clothing, the sedative in the injection instantly knocking him out.

-

A killer in their early stages would indulge themselves with animals, it was a great method of practice before their perverse, twisted calling would reveal itself. However, in our world today, stereotyping is dead. The “common” is boring, the “obvious manifestation” is boring.

Take Soobin, for example. He was meek, shy, introverted, conservative, and kept to himself—lately, though? He felt as if he were morphing into a person he was never meant to be. Like he was infected by a contagious virus that was passed from Yeonjun’s father… to Yeonjun himself… and then to Kai…, and finally, to Soobin.

Yeonjun was still unconscious, wrists tied behind him, fastening him onto a chair that Soobin hauled out of the cabin’s storage area.

Soobin cocked his head to the left, like a puppy contemplating his next move.

Soobin could begin, could start following the simple steps to Taxidermy he read about in the booklet Kai gave him, but… where’s the fun in that?

He was flipping through the Taxidermy Rule Book, reviewing the steps because he only had one shot at this— if he fails to successfully flay the skin off the sleeping guy, there would be no more ‘Choi Yeonjuns’ for his second attempt.

Step One: Prepare the following: sharp knife, sewing needle, thread, stuffing or plaster cast, borax, alcohol, preserving agent.

Soobin checked over the words with a pen, seeing that his checklist was complete.

Step Two: Keep the animal in an area with low temperature.

Yeah, this cabin would do, in has just rained and the atmosphere was misty.

“Soobin--,” Yeonjun woke and struggled to pry his hands from his binds, “Binnie,--”

“Let me guess,” Soobin put down the book and tapped the pen he was holding to his chin, “You’re wondering how… your ‘sweet, sweet Soobinnie’, who is incapable of hurting a fly… could do this?”

“Huh? Soobin, what are you going to do?”

Soobin ignored him and proceeded with his monologue, “You have your friend, Wooyoung, to thank for warning me, and telling me that I should bring something to defend myself once you raise red flags. And this,” he picked up the booklet Kai gave him and waved it in front of Yeonjun’s face, “This is from your brother himself.”

“No, Kai wouldn’t want to kill me--”

“You’re right, that’s why he sent _me_ to do his dirty work. Yeonjun-hyung…” Soobin said while trailing a hand over his facial features, causing the other to flinch away.

“Kai is so, so afraid of losing you to anyone. So do us all a favor and quit struggling? Once I’m done… him and you would be together. You’d be just like your projects, Jun-hyung. Sitting, lifeless, unmoving, in a corner… elegant, and forever young.”

The hair on Yeonjun’s arms prickled, goosebumps, at Soobin’s words.

“Aren’t you… the least bit curious as how the animals you butchered felt when you took out their guts and put them on display?”

Soobin cackled, a guttural… demonic sound Yeonjun never expected he’s hear from Soobin.

He took the knife and grazed it on the other’s collar bone. It took a lot of Soobin’s will-power to push aside his bloodlust, the blade’s cold surface a stark contrast to Yeonjun’s warm body which was heated by his palpitating heart.

“Go on, Soobin, cut me,” he said, taunting Soobin, looking at him and staring into his black soul.

He retracted the knife and instead took the gun from where it fell onto the ground earlier.

“No. Kai wouldn’t appreciate a damaged plushie, remember?” Soobin said, as he smiled, aiming and shooting the gun at Yeonjun’s torso.

As Yeonjun helplessly bled out, his vision darkening, Soobin’s cold voice was the last thing he heard.

“It’s time for step one,” Soobin read the instructions in the handbook, “cut a clean, deep line on the animal’s torso… and then… peel off the skin.”

-

Hours later, the sun was beginning to bleed through the clouds. Soobin grinned in delight as he stitched up Yeonjun’s skin onto the plaster, adding some final touches… like a lip ring and fake dual-colored eyes.

He admired his handiwork, it was nice for his first time.

Soobin rang Kai’s phone, but it went straight to voice message. Not that it mattered.

“Hello! Kai speaking, leave a message after the beep.”

Beep.

“Hey, Kai. I already have a gift for your birthday… I’m sure you’re going to love it.”

Before he exited the voicemail, he said a last remark.

_“It’s personalized… soft… and… handmade.”_


	2. Repeat After Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The only thing scarier than psychopaths are copycat serial killers. 
> 
> The only thing even scarier than that… is a rich, obsessed, psychopathic, copycat serial killer.

The only thing scarier than psychopaths are copycat serial killers.

The only thing even _scarier_ than that… is a _rich,_ _obsessed, psychopathic,_ copycat serial killer.

“ _This just in,_ ” Kang Taehyun listened to the reporter on the built-in television device in his billion-dollar car, “ _College graduate Choi Soobin has been arrested after admitting to the gruesome murder of Choi Yeonjun, who has been missing for the past year. He claims to have disposed of the victim’s body--_ ” Taehyun shuddered, he wasn’t a fan of news like this. He changed the channel, and lo and behold, the news was still about Choi Soobin.

It was a replay of the previous night’s news. The camera panned from the reporter to the house Soobin was arrested in. Two policemen escorted Soobin into a car, the murderer shackled, he struggled to get inside the car thanks to his height. The camera panned again, and showed Kai. Taehyun knew who he was too.

The news literally cannot shut up about the guy who flayed his schoolmate and turned him into a piece worthy to be exhibited in a museum. Deep inside, Taehyun had a gut feeling that Kai had a hand in the murder, but somehow, Soobin convinced the cops his boyfriend was innocent.

“ _Kai had nothing to do with this. He loved Yeonjun. He wouldn’t have the heart to do it, even think about doing it,_ ” Soobin shuffled in his seat, facing the interviewer. They were in an interrogation room, Soobin was looking straight into the detective’s eyes, _“What happened to Yeonjun… what I did to him, it was all me.”_

Taehyun felt goosebumps prick his skin, the way Soobin spoke was cold… he didn’t seem like he felt guilt…

 _“Why did you do it?”_ The interviewer pried, staring back at Soobin, eyes equally void of emotion.

Soobin smirked at the interviewer, “ _I don’t need to explain myself to you. Yeonjun is dead, I threw his body into a river. Kai had nothing to do with it, end of story._ ”

_“Why didn’t you dispose of the body earlier? Why did you keep--”_

Soobin let out a loud, guttural laugh, this time staring straight at the camera, handcuffed hands spasming as he did so.

 _“Who would want to throw away a masterpiece? It hurt to throw it away just to save myself. I spent eight hours on him. It was quite… satisfying. He wasn’t moving at all—of course he wasn’t I shot him dead before I flayed him.”_ Soobin smiled wider. _“Who would’ve known the preservatives I put on his skin would last for years? And… seriously?”_ Soobin cackled, raising an eyebrow at the detective.

_“Seriously, what took you so long? If I haven’t surrendered myself to you, how long would it have taken you? God, such slowpokes.”_

Then, the built-in TV turned off. Taehyun huffed, Soobin was right. _Such slowpokes._

If Taehyun weren’t an idol right now, he’d rather be a detective. He’d be able to solve crimes faster and be more effective than the dumb idiots who let Soobin live his life for years before arresting him, dumb idiot detectives who believed Soobin’s claim about Kai’s innocence.

Taehyun had this slight inkling that Kai wasn’t as innocent as he seemed. 

The idol was too transfixed on the news to notice where the car was heading. He also failed to notice how the reception weakened, how the audio crackled and how the screen glitched. He trusted his staff _too much._

Taehyun slid open the division that stood between the backseat and the driver’s seat. “Excuse me, I don’t think this is the right route to my next schedule.” The driver had an ominous mask around his mouth, shades covering his eyes.

As Taehyun looked straight at the road they were in, a wave of fear rushed through him. Through the overly tinted windows, he couldn’t make out a thing, he didn’t have a single clue of where they were. He slowly reached for his phone in his pocket, ready to dial the emergency number… only to find it gone. Someone must’ve taken it.

“ _Fuck,_ ” Taehyun eye’s darted to the door, he could jump off the car… but at the speed the car was going? It would be too risky. But…

It would be better than _wherever_ this driver of his was taking him. Better safe than sorry. Unfortunately, before he could even touch the button to open his car’s hatchback, a pungent smell infiltrated his nose.

Chloroform.

He coughed, slowly losing his consciousness. Through his drowsy state, he continued to squint, seeing rows and rows of shadowy tall trees. When did the busy city filled with lights and car horns stop… and when did this eerie forest start?

Before he slipped away into darkness, he heard a few words exchanged between his driver and an unknown recipient.

“No, he hasn’t seen the route, I knocked him out before he could protest.” A pause, “We’ll be there in thirty minutes, _Gyu_.”

. . .

“ _Hyung, you can’t just do that. They won’t know, they’ve already dismissed Yeonjun-hyung’s missing reports as a cold case. They’ll give you the death penalty,_ ” Kai had said the night before Soobin confessed his own crime to the cops.

Soobin pulled Kai closer to him, tousling the sheets, his fingers lightly tracing over his lover’s stomach. Soobin’s bare chest was flush to Kai’s back, giving the younger a sense of much needed protection and reassurance.

 _“Don’t you think I deserve it?”_ The younger’s ears perked at Soobin’s words as he hastily turned towards Soobin, concerned.

 _“I killed your brother, Kai. And I loved every second of it.”_ Soobin’s eyebrows were creased in concentration as he tried to recall the fateful night he did what he did.

_“It isn’t your fault… I was the one who asked you to do it, hyung.”_

_“But I didn’t feel remorse… the entire time… it only felt like I was decorating a birthday cake.”_ A pause.

Kai’s ears perked, but he was still confused, _“Then… why are you going to confess?”_ Kai figured guilt was what drove Soobin to admit his crime, but it wasn’t?

 _“Because I might hurt you too, Kai-ah.”_ Soobin lovingly patted Kai’s hair, smiling in defeat. It didn’t matter what went on in Soobin’s mind, whether he was sad or happy, Kai always made him smile.

 _“I… wouldn’t hate you if you did. Even when you lose control.”_ Kai shuffled upward, putting his weight on his elbow, as he leaned closer into Soobin, _“I’m not scared of you, hyung.”_

_“I know, Kai. But I’m afraid of myself… I’m afraid of the inevitable. I can feel it, Kai. Whenever I hold a knife while cooking… whenever I see Yeonjun in the basement… I remember how good it felt.”_

_“Soobin-hyung, if you love me, you wouldn’t harm me.”_ Soobin had responded by placing a kiss on Kai’s forehead, that trailed down to his cheek, until his lips. Soobin’s arm went around Kai’s waist, pulling him closer, close enough to feel the heat brewing between them as the seconds passed.

Kissing Kai like this was the only way to silence him.

Soobin knew he shouldn’t have told Kai about his plans… but then, it was the better alternative to leaving without warning.

. . .

Now, Kai felt lonely.

Soobin wasn’t there with him anymore, and his heart ached for Soobin’s company. If Soobin were here, he’d whisper sweet nothings into Kai’s ear and slowly coax him to bed and drive his discomfort away. Unfortunately, the said guy was already in the police station for questioning.

So, Kai confided in the next best thing—his brother. Truth is, Soobin didn’t throw Yeonjun’s remains in a river. Per Kai’s request, when the police searched Kai’s home, Yeonjun wasn’t found since his remains were in the cabin in the woods. So, that’s exactly where Kai went.

Surprisingly, after Kai acted all innocent when the police took him in for questioning, they didn’t pry further when Kai pretended to cry, pretended to be under pressure and oppressed.

 _“He’s my brother, are you hearing yourselves?”_ Kai said, intentionally making his voice shaky, _“How dare you fucking—no! Okay, stop it! I didn’t… I wouldn’t… I didn’t know Soobin-hyung killed him.”_ The boy pretended to break down, hiding his face behind his hands as he continued to sob.

 _“All right… this is enough. Go home, boy. These past few hours must’ve been hard for you, take a rest.”_ The detective said, taking pity on Kai. Behind his hands, Kai smirked. People always have been so easy to fool. Put on a mask of being a young, broken brother, grieving because his lover was apparently the one who killed his hyung? Pretend like he wasn’t the one who put the idea in Soobin’s mind in the first place? Too easy.

The outside of the said cabin brought memories back. The first time their father had introduced them to his hobby.

“ _No Kai-ah. It’s not called skinning, there’s a more specific term for what we do,_ ” His father had a measuring tape in hand, double checking if the plaster was enough for a bear’s skin to be fitted over, _“It’s called taxidermy.”_

 _“Some people assemble works like these,”_ His father gestured to the other immortalized figures, _“And sell them to a museum, or an exhibit. But,”_ his father huffed, shuffling to wrap the measuring tape around the part where the bear’s belly would be stitched, _“I’d rather keep ours right here.”_

It came to Kai’s knowledge that their mother hadn’t liked the idea of their father’s hobby. It irked her, freaked her out, knowing those animals that stared at her with fake, marble eyes were once happy animals prancing around in the woods.

Kai snapped out of his flashbacks when a squirrel passed by, stepping over crispy leaves that crunched under its nimble feet. He reached out for the doorknob, twisting it as he inserted the key, the only key to the cabin. He had melted all the other copies of the key, he had no more reason to keep it after what had happened.

Kai stepped inside the cabin and walked toward the middle where the lightbulb was. He pulled on the short string as the bulb lit up. It’s been years since he had last seen the cabin. He wasn’t a fan of the mess taxidermy ensued, so he never went. It was always Yeonjun who occupied the place.

“Home sweet home, hyung,” Kai let out a sigh as he locked the door.

Yeonjun, or rather, what was left of him, was on a random chair, staring straight into nothing, body stiff and unmoving, eyes unblinking.

Kai sat cross-legged in front of his brother, who could be mistaken as a wax figure or a realistic replica, and stared up at him, half expecting for Yeonjun to stare back.

“Home hasn’t been the same. Figured this would be the best hiding spot for you.”

He could almost hear his brother answering. He knew Yeonjun was dead, Soobin killed him, Kai was well aware of that. He just couldn’t help hearing his brother’s voice answering back.

_You never told me why I had to stay here. I liked it in the basement._

“Right… I haven’t told you, have I?”

_Told me what, Kai?_

“Soobin surrendered himself. He said he was afraid he’d hurt me too.”

_Serves you right after what you told him to do to me._

“I thought we’ve sorted this out, hyung,” Kai held his head in his hands, “I said I’m sorry. I was just… I love you, hyung. I couldn’t live with you and Soobin hyung getting together--”

_We both know he loves you more than me, Kai. Now get to the point, what did you do now? Why are you here, why aren’t you doing anything to take Soobin back?_

“You still love him, don’t you?”

No answer. Kai laughed to himself, all the answers Yeonjun said was just him inside his own brain. Ever since Yeonjun was reduced to this object, Kai made a habit of talking to him. It was his own weird way of coping. Even when he himself was the reason why Yeonjun was in Soobin’s supposed place, he still missed his brother.

“I tried talking him out of it, he wouldn’t listen to me. I feel alone, hyung. I am alone. Soobin-hyung left me.”

Kai felt a pair of arms wrap around him, a head rested on his shoulder as he clung onto Yeonjun. Then he let it all out, the tears, self-hatred. He’d like to think it were really Yeonjun hugging him, but it was only the soulless plaster.

_That’s because you let him. It was about time you overcame your disgust with blood, Kai. You know what you should’ve done to keep him from leaving._

“I could never,” Kai exhaled, “I couldn’t do what Soobin-hyung did. I’m too weak.”

_It’s too late now, isn’t it? Just go on with your life, Kai. You’re strong enough to continue on without him… after all…_

_You have me._

. . .

Choi Beomgyu is rich. Filthy rich. A son of the CEO of the biggest company in Asia. (Or the world, Beomgyu would like to sound a bit humble.) He is the youngest of three siblings, two siblings who could care less about him.

The only one who even bothered to greet him for the holidays was Choi San, the one Beomgyu failed to understand, why did San continue to study? To have friends? A boyfriend? Why did he choose to live in a crappy dorm near their university Beomgyu could care less about, and deny any association with the Chois?

Beomgyu was biased, though. He didn’t like San. He was too normal for his liking. It was a good thing San distanced himself from his family, he was adopted anyway. Their mother only took pity on San after his parents left.

Parents died. Parents killed by the Chois themselves, but none of them were allowed to mention it. If one were to mention it by passing, their father would rage.

Beomgyu didn’t like San, he kind of… hated him. The twisted reason why they sent snipers to San’s true home to kill his biological parents were so that they’d have a son who would inherit all the fortune once Beomgyu messes up. No one ever mentioned that, but Beomgyu just knew he was a ticking time bomb, he’s a few inches away from fucking up, eventually.

Choi Arin could inherit everything, but their father wanted a son to do so. That reduce his sister into anything less, though.

Arin is already too high up to reach. Beomgyu could have been like her, could have been digging up gold and squandering money, basking in the attention given to her by their father’s spotlight. But Beomgyu wasn’t like them, nor was he like San.

The thing is, he is used to money, heck, he has an entire room the size of a master’s bedroom filled with money from top to bottom. He’d go abroad and his whole suitcase could be filled with nothing but paper bucks. Or gold. Or diamonds.

Way too much money for a person as young as him.

 _“Beomgyu is the black sheep of the family,”_ his mother had said, _“He’s hard headed, self-centered, but… he’s still our son. We can’t just throw him out like that, even when he could potentially ruin our reputation.”_

Beomgyu wasn’t one to eavesdrop, but that one particular exchange between his mother and father got him listening.

 _“So what do you suggest?”_ His father replied, _“I don’t want to throw him out either, but Beomgyu putting everything to waste--”_

_“So when Arin bought that entire clothing line, it’s fine?”_

_“Arin signed those contracts because she wanted to! It even benefits us,”_ Beomgyu’s father paced around the bedroom he shared with his wife, “ _But what Beomgyu is doing… that will ruin me._ ”

Beomgyu peeked through the door which was slightly ajar, to see his father tensed on the edge of their monochrome bed, the lines on his face stoic.

 _“He even did it behind our backs,”_ his father looked up at his wife, _“You have no idea, do you?”_

Upon hearing that his father had apparently found out about what he was doing, (and was about to tell his mother), Beomgyu fled. That was the last night Beomgyu stayed and lived with his so-called family.

For a few weeks, he stayed at a local motel, a two-star one, just to get off his parents’ radar. If they were to look for him, they’d check the 5-star suites first, they’d never expect Beomgyu, who claimed to be a high maintenance brat, to reside in a small, cramped, and dusty dorm.

During those weeks, he’d watch the news in the crappy box-shaped TV the motel provided, munching on his pizza, looking like someone’s couch potato uncle. If it weren’t for his designer clothing, he could’ve fit right in with that description.

Everyday, it was the same controversial news: Choi Yeonjun, missing.

Beomgyu didn’t give a shit about missing persons, but Choi Yeonjun’s case was a different one. Beomgyu found himself wanting to know more, following different investigations as he slumped on the disgusting and cheap couch.

Eventually, the uproar about his case had died down. The case was dismissed, the body wasn’t found.

Beomgyu could say he were disappointed, but he had more important things to tend to. Such as the house he was expecting to be completely built soon. He used all the money in his bank account for it, and ordered it be built on a place overlooking the sea.

A place unrecorded on the map. Somewhere no one would find him. With enough money (he had a lot), he could keep himself hidden there in secret. Left alone, with only nature, the soft hums of the wind and the slapping of waves on the huge sea rocks by the shore to keep him company.

Beomgyu was in the middle of his sleep when one of his workers called to inform him the house was done. He reached out to his bedside table to stop the incessant ringing, remnants of last night’s fries still on his bedsheets, the light from the television making him squint amidst the darkness.

“ _Hello?_ ”

“ _Mr. Choi, I apologize for interrupting whatever it is you may have been doing. I was tasked to call you, inform you that the house is done. The primary furniture have already been placed._ ”

“ _Okay. Thank you for your service, you may all go home._ ”

None of them got home alive that night. None of them, except for one—the person Beomgyu trusted the most.

Yang Jeongin has been Beomgyu’s best friend since they were in kindergarten and elementary (the only school levels Beomgyu bothered to attend.) He skipped high school because… who needs to study when all the money in the world is already within reach?

Jeongin knew almost everything about Beomgyu. Note, _almost._ His closeness with Beomgyu was what made him both a strong accomplice, and a dangerous liability.

“Jeongin… can you do something for me?” He had told his friend the night before.

“Sure Gyu, what is it? The house is almost done, by the way. It’s a literal carbon copy of my blueprint.”

“As it should be, you’re the best architect I know.”

“The _only_ one you know, you mean?”

Beomgyu chuckled, “Close enough. The only one I trust.”

“What’s got you all sappy on me, Gyu?”

As light as the mood was, Beomgyu’s next words draped a blanket of fear over Jeongin. Beomgyu was his best friend, so Beomgyu would never harm him…, right?

“I want you to cut the brakes from the worker’s bus, and do _not_ get inside it. Wouldn’t want you to die with them.”

Jeongin blinked once, then twice… his mind refusing to understand what he had just heard.

“Hello? You still there?” Beomgyu said through the phone’s mic, as if he hadn’t just ordered Jeongin to commit mass murder, as if he didn’t just order Jeongin to orchestrate an accident.

“What…?”

“You heard what I said.”

“No, Gyu. I can’t.”

“You _can,_ ” Beomgyu’s voice made Jeongin’s skin creep, “You just don’t want to. But must I remind you of what happened to that guy in school who didn’t let me copy his homework?”

Shivers. Slowly creeping up his spine. _Goosebumps._ Jeongin gulped. Did Beomgyu just _threaten_ him? Must be… very serious then.

“Yeah… Gyu… I just… they are so _many_ of them. They all have families. Wives, children…--”

“ _Or,_ ” Beomgyu said, “They can be thieves. They can be adulterers, cheaters, abusers. Or worse,” Beomgyu paused for dramatic effect, “They can tell everyone about the secret location of that place.”

Oh, that was the reason behind Beomgyu’s order.

“Once the bus crashes and I’m sure every single one of them are gone, or at least _lost_ the ability to speak if they survive the crash… I’ll be sending you a million in your bank account”

Tempting… but was he really willing to have his hands red because of his materialistic wants?

“Fine, let’s put that car you wanted so much on top of that.”

“I don’t know, Gyu…”

But he _did._ As soon as Beomgyu began bribing him, he was already planning on a good alibi for him to get near the bus alone, and cut the brakes of the vehicle without anyone catching him.

“Innie, please? You know I asked you to design that house because I wanted to hide from my family and literally everyone else. What would be the point of your hardwork if a hundred and thirteen workers would go home, _knowing_ my address?” There was definitely a tinge of deadly threat in his tone.

“Right, right. Okay. I understand.”

“Hey, before you hang up, what color do you want that car again?”

“Matte black?”

“Matte black it is.”

. . .

_A bus has swerved off a cliff near the city. The bus slipped, the brakes were faulty._

_Such gullible people_ , Beomgyu thought as the car’s wipers battled the heavy raindrops, _they’d believe everything the news feeds them_. If only they investigated some more, they could’ve caught the real culprit, because the ‘accident’ wasn’t an unfortunate will of god.

Beomgyu drove to the location of his new house, KTH’s newly released song playing on his car’s speakers.

_“My heart pounds and flutters,_

_My blood I see for the first time_

_Spreading little by little_

_This blood keeps me running, running”_

Oh how Beomgyu dreamed to see Taehyun’s blood, too. _Spreading little by little…_

. . .

In short, Jeongin is the one who does all the dirty jobs for him, in exchange for a full bank account. It wasn’t that Jeongin didn’t try to resist Beomgyu. It wasn’t that Jeongin didn’t fear Beomgyu, because he did. And maybe his fear played a part in his obedience.

He’d tried avoiding Beomgyu ever since they were in grade school when Beomgyu shoved a pencil into someone’s eye (because the said student didn’t let Beomgyu copy his homework), and then payed it off as an accident. Ever since Beomgyu put poison into their poor old teacher’s drink. Jeongin knew Beomgyu was laughing in the inside as the senior professor convulsed on the floor, foaming at the mouth.

But Beomgyu also had his way of being sweet and spoiling Jeongin. Besides, when Beomgyu dropped out, he has stopped doing concerning things. Fortunately, and unfortunately…

Because Beomgyu was merely on a psychotic hiatus. For years, Beomgyu acted like a normal person. Well, as normal as he could get in the family he belongs to. He kept up the act until Jeongin was able to push back the horrid memories of what he had done.

Until his mini-break has ended. At first, Jeongin thought it was a mere crush that Beomgyu had on the famous singer Kang Taehyun. After all, it was… _normal_ to have delusions and dream of someone. He often laughed at Beomgyu’s _harmless_ obsession with the singer.

At first, it was just the songs. And then came the pictures. The merchandise, _everything_ the entertainment sold that had a KTH on it was quickly added into Beomgyu’s cart.

It was normal fan behavior… however,

The word normal was never in Beomgyu’s dictionary.

Jeongin has lost count of the number of people Beomgyu hired to get his hands on Taehyun’s personal information.

 _“Beomgyu, this is illegal you can’t keep doing this,”_ Jeongin said in an attempt to slap some sense into Beomgyu, _“They might sue you. Your people can’t keep following him around.”_

_“Why, Innie? You scared I’m gonna get jailed?”_

_“I’m scared you might do something worse.”_

Something worse than possessing private and borderline scandalous pictures of Kang Taehyun? Could Beomgyu do something worse than that?

He can.

 _“I should just buy the company, shouldn’t I?”_

Beomgyu had called him in the middle of the night, asking that Jeongin make him a house.

“You know how my fucking parents are, Innie. And I’ve had _enough._ ”

Jeongin rubbed his eyes, switching on the lamp at his bedside. “They wouldn’t kick you out of the household without a reason, what fuckery have you done?”

“They’re not kicking me out, I’m the one who’s leaving. I don’t belong here. They all fucking hate me. All I did was try to buy the company Taehyun was under--”

“You _what?_ ”

Taehyun. That was Beomgyu’s favorite Kpop idol. If Beomgyu wasn’t listening to his songs, he would probably be in a concert or a fansign, but for some weird reason, Beomgyu never talked to Taehyun during those fansigns. He never made a move to take Taehyun from a concert, so _why now?_

He was planning to buy the company? It didn’t make sense to Jeongin. That was when it hit him—Beomgyu wasn’t kidding about what he said the other day.

“There’s nothing bad! I mean… the guy I hired may have held one of the managers at gunpoint, but _that was that!_ ”

At the time, Jeongin hadn’t fully grasped the possibility that Choi Beomgyu may be spiraling into psychosis again. It was never just a phase, was it?

. . .

Jeongin waited for Beomgyu to arrive at the newly built compound. He was proud of his work, the blueprint he made purely out of his imagination has come to life, he should be satisfied. But he isn’t. He’s disappointed in himself for what he has done.

Maybe he was no better than Beomgyu if he let his greed overshadow his morals like that.

The house was modern, like what Beomgyu preferred. A simple, grey-toned mansion built outside the grid. The house had been so full of workers just earlier, before Jeongin has sent them to their death.

The eye of the storm was at its strongest that night, thunderclaps were still heard even when the house was huge. Every so often, Jeongin would hear footsteps, and his heart would pause. It could just be the wind, it was just his own paranoia of being caught.

How could Beomgyu dispose of so many people like they were ants? No, scratch that. How did _Jeongin_ do that? How could he?

It has only dawned on Jeongin that… he has killed more people than Beomgyu ever did. Has Beomgyu even _killed_ anyone deliberately? He didn’t even think twice about cutting that wire after Beomgyu sweet-talked him. His knees began to quake.

_A million bucks. The matte black car. Impunity._

The last one, he wasn’t sure of. Could Beomgyu provide him immunity from the law? Could his dirty jobs be cleaned by Beomgyu’s dirty money? He’d just have to cross the bridge once they get there.

Jeongin’s hand tightened around the silver refrigerator handle as his vison began to get blurry… all he can hear was his own heart thrumming in his chest, threatening to burst with the weight of his crime.

However, before his knees could give up on him, before his head could collide with the white marble tiles, Beomgyu caught him.

. . .

“Think of it this way… _a bus has swerved off a cliff near the city. The bus slipped, the brakes were faulty,_ ” Beomgyu mimicked the news reporter he had heard in his car radio, “It’s the truth, Jeongin. Think of it as a nightmare.”

And a nightmare it was. It would appear as a vision every time he closed his eyes, as if it were tattooed on his eyelids.

He would see the slippery road, puddles glistening as the bus continued on a presumably safe path. And then, _red._ The pools of rainwater would mix with something crimson. The deafening screeching of the tires, the screams of the workers as the bus toppled off the edge, rolling and rolling down, until they hit a huge rock. Not even their seatbelts could save them.

And then, Beomgyu’s voice.

_“A million bucks. The matte black car. Impunity.”_

Jeongin’s eyes shot open when Beomgyu placed a freezing ice pack on his forehead.

“I took your temperature earlier when you fainted, In. Did you use an umbrella when you went out?” Beomgyu chuckled, tossing a blanket to his friend, who was semi-awake on the living room couch.

 _“You mean, when I went out to cut the brakes?”_ Jeongin thought to himself.

“What’s…” Jeongin slurred as he noticed Beomgyu has brewed hot soup for him. He struggled to keep the ice pack on his head as he draped the blanket over himself.

“I want you alive, of course, In. If I let you die by a fever then I should’ve just sent someone else to cut the brakes and you’d be in _that bus too._ ”

Beomgyu, who wore a white, fluffy jacket that Jeongin guessed costs thousands, plopped himself onto the one-man couch next to the sofa Jeongin was shivering on. He reached for the remote and clicked open the television.

“Rest up, Innie. We still have work to do once you get well.”

“ _Work?_ ” Jeongin said but it only came out as a mumble, he felt too tired and overwhelmed.

Instead of questioning Beomgyu, he directed his attention towards the hanging, wide screen TV in front of them.

_“Breaking news, the case of Choi Yeonjun has been solved. It is once again an open case, as the investigators rigorously scrutinize the crime. Fair warning: the next segment of this news might be disturbing.”_

Jeongin looked towards his friend, who was deep into absorbing every word. Beomgyu has always been into crime… and this _Yeonjun_ case.

_“Choi Soobin, his fellow ex-schoolmate and alleged lover has surrendered himself to the police. He has flayed and thrown the remnants of Choi Yeonjun, and claims to have thrown it into an unnamed river. A search party is currently threading through these rivers to find his remains.”_

The news transitioned to a video. A live interrogation of Choi Soobin.

_“Who would want to throw away a masterpiece? It hurt to throw it away just to save myself. I spent eight hours on him. It was quite… satisfying. He wasn’t moving at all—of course he wasn’t I shot him dead before I flayed him.”_

Jeongin shuddered and turned to see if Beomgyu was just as put-off as him, but… Beomgyu was… smiling-- the soft glow from the television providing an unnerving effect to Beomgyu’s already eerie demeanor.

“Choi Soobin,” Beomgyu muttered as if he were jotting down notes in his head.

At this point, Jeongin wanted _out._

. . .

Beomgyu wouldn’t let him off that easily, though.

As soon as Jeongin was alive and kicking again, they got _back to work._

“ _You’ve done enough, Innie. I promise… I won’t be bothering you after this. I might even send you off to a free vacation to get your mind off things, I can even help change your identity if ever those dumb police officers find out,_ ” Beomgyu had told him the night before, _“But really, don’t be too hard on yourself, they were better off dead anyway. Half of them were insured so the money would go straight to their families.”_

 _“All right,”_ Jeongin squeezed the blanket tighter around himself as he weakly watched Beomgyu pace around the living room. _“What do you want me to do?”_

Beomgyu let out a squeal of excitement.

 _“Bring me Kang Taehyun.”_ Oddly enough, he looked like one of those party hosts in kids parties who facilitated the game of Bring Me. Only, he wasn’t asking for a red lipstick, or a blue balloon, or a leather wallet—he was asking for Kang Taehyun.

_“What?”_

_“I know you heard me the first time, Innie.”_

_“What if I don’t want to?”_

_“Then I’d just have to tell the authorities that someone cut the brakes,”_ his expression turned dark, _“They’ll find you eventually… and maybe put you on death row,”_ he smiled, _“So, bring me Kang Taehyun, or what?”_

Jeongin stared at his _friend_ in disbelief. That was… the first time Beomgyu has held a threat over his head. He’s fully gone off his rocker, has he?

And that is how Jeongin ended up with an unconscious Kang Taehyun at the back of his car as he sped his way back to the familiar route of Beomgyu’s secret hideout.

Besides it wasn’t like Beomgyu intended to kill the idol he ordered Jeongin to kidnap… right?

Surely, there was an up-side to this…

There wasn’t though, Beomgyu’s intentions were only malevolent.

. . .

Beomgyu supposed it was about time to explore his house. Ever since Jeongin fell ill, he had to keep an eye on him in case he decided to bail, escape, or die of fever. Beomgyu couldn’t just pull out the stuff he brought in front of Jeongin. Quite… questionable stuff that would have Jeongin’s eyes bulging out of their sockets. His friend has always been such a vanilla softie.

But then, _everyone else_ were like that. Now that Beomgyu had a place only for himself, he seized the opportunity to own equipment his parents never let him touch.

Having Jeongin on his kidnapping agenda gave Beomgyu the opportunity to have the house all to himself. He had only seen the living room, kitchen, and his own Master’s bedroom so far. He paced, listening to the soft tapping of his own shoes on the white tiles as his hand clutched a heavy body bag. The clinking of metal inside sent ripples of excitement through him.

He could do _anything,_ have _anything_ and _anyone_ in this house, and no one would ever find out. He looked at his silver watch—the only familiar thing from his home, to see that he had about three to four hours before Jeongin got back with his soon-to-be prized possession. He had enough time to set everything up by himself.

Reaching for the phone in his pocket, he turned a corner. He clicked the blue-colored icon of the app that held Jeongin’s blueprint. This house was way too huge for Beomgyu to memorize overnight.

The automatic motion-activated lights opened and closed wherever he went, it was so convenient not needing to open and close a switch. Once more glancing at the blueprint in his phone, there was a metal door at the end of the hallway. Beomgyu rushed to it.

The silver door resembled a safe that blended with the rest of the monochrome interior. A small number keypad was discreetly placed beside it.

After Beomgyu entered the right 8-digit code, a satisfying beep resounded, a small flash of red light, and the metal door slid open.

There were stairs in front of him. Steep steps that would lead him to the four-cornered basement where he intended to keep _stuff,_ along with that _one_ k-idol he loves so much.

As soon as he stepped inside, the door slid shut, once again flashing a red light. Beomgyu descended down the stairs, his footsteps echoing throughout the large room. This room wasn’t like any other room—it had a switch. He left Jeongin specific instructions to provide a switch, he figured it’d be fun to toy with Taehyun by keeping him in the dark. 

He flipped open the lights and admired the room. White tiles just like the rest of the house, grey walls, and a black ceiling where a single strong light bulb illuminated its four corners. A small table under a rack that was fastened to the wall along with rails and hooks, and a bed.

_Taehyun would love it here… all tied up and helples--_

His thoughts were cut when he felt his arm cramping because of the weight of the bag he still held. He dropped it on the floor, crouched down to unzip it, and admired the way the blades were _so clean._

He let out a laugh. Clean, _not for long._

First, he took out the blades (some long, short, smooth, and jagged), hanging them on the rack. These blades were soon followed by chains, cuffs, and—Beomgyu felt a wave of thrill, a branding iron.

After twenty minutes tops, the rack was already filled.

_Ping!_

**_Jeongin:_** we’re here. He’s still asleep don’t know when he’s going to wake up.

. . .

Blood littered Beomgyu’s white fur jacket, a mallet (which was just as bloody) in hand. He sighed, it was his favorite jacket… so stupid of him to let someone’s blood stain it. He leaned the mallet on one of the corners of the garage, removing his jacket while he did so, and leaving it in a laundry basket. Now that he lived alone… he’d have to wash his own clothes… that was probably the most inconvenient thing for Beomgyu.

He went back to the car he let Jeongin borrow and opened up the car’s rear door.

And there, in all his beautiful, passed-out and oblivious glory, was Kang Taehyun, pliant body almost taking up the entire space of the backseat.

The idol he has only dreamed of getting all to himself—who knew all he needed was a push to the right direction? A push, to ditching his family and last remnants of normalcy, a push to living alone, to _finally_ have him.

Beomgyu’s eyes trailed from Taehyun’s white socks, up to his long legs, black belt accentuated by a silver ring, a navy blue suit that contrasted with the white turtleneck he wore in the inside. Then, his face. And Beomgyu stilled, drooling at the mouth if he wasn’t already.

Taehyun’s eyelids were shut, but Beomgyu could see the outline of his irises moving rapidly—Taehyun was dreaming. Probably about his life… which would never get back to normal once he wakes up.

His angled nose and cheeks, ears that were adorned by his signature paperclip earrings. 

And then, Taehyun’s lips. Slightly parted, if Beomgyu were to listen close enough, he’s sure he’d hear the soft huffs of breath.

It was so easy to reach out and touch. And that is exactly what he did.

. . .

Confusion came first.

Taehyun stirred, his surroundings dim with his sudden consciousness. He dismissed the darkness as the blotches of black vision one would get after a headache—but it wasn’t. The dark didn’t dissipate. He couldn’t feel his limbs… wait…

He pulled at his own arms and legs, only to find some kind of rope held him in place. He pulled harder, assessing how tight they were, thinking if they were loose enough to let him escape—they weren’t. The more he pulled, the more the ropes constricted around his wrists, which were tied to what he presumed to be the bedframe.

He let out a groan, letting his back of his head drop onto the weirdly soft surface he was on. A pillow. He was strapped. To a bed.

After his bewilderment, came panic.

He felt a scream rise up to his throat.

“ _Mmmmf--_ ”

Though, it came out muffled. No one would hear him at that volume. He tried to scream louder, but the forced scream only made him hyper-aware of his throbbing head. If he let out another scream, a vein on his temple could snap.

He settled for waiting, his own thoughts of _whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhattefuck_ being the only sound keeping him company, along with him breathing harshly through his nose and the thumping of his heart.

Taehyun thought he was beginning to hallucinate when he saw a flash of red accompanied by a soft beep. He would’ve thought exactly that, if it weren’t for the footsteps that reverberated throughout the place. 

“ _Mff!_ ” Taehyun let out a final yell… but that was before he realized whoever has stepped into the room is also probably the reason why he was in here in the first place.

The lightbulb above him beamed with a blinding glow of white.

“You’re awake,” whoever owned the voice stated, as his footsteps came closer. Taehyun attempted to crane his head to see who it was, but decided against it since it would require him to bare his neck, and weirdly enough, he assumes this person is also capable of decapitating him; he stared up and into the blinding lightbulb instead.

Taehyun was certain there were tears in his eyes as he abruptly became aware of the dampened cloth this person gagged him with.

And then, the said person came into view. He towered over Taehyun, looking down on him like he was some seafood on a chopping board. Taehyun could do nothing but stare back, powerless. Working out in the gym for six days a week was of no use if he was shackled like this.

“You’re _actually_ real,” the guy sighed almost dreamily, making Taehyun’s panic rise up a notch. Taehyun couldn’t bring himself to look directly at his captor in his state of deteriorating pride. He turned his head, regretting it instantly as he saw the rack lined with glistening sharp objects Taehyun didn’t want to identify.

His captor’s hands felt under his chin, snaking its way to his jaw and forcing his gaze up.

A mop of ashen hair, a proportionate face, and innocent eyes. Those were the first things Taehyun noticed. If anything, he looked like an angel, _was he here to save me_? All the terror in Taehyun’s chest seemed to be swept away by the comfort he found in those eyes.

Too bad, his eyes were just pretense.

Taehyun keened when the stranger combed his fingers through his brown hair, occasionally tugging just to feel more of him.

“Aw,” the stranger cooed, continuing to fist into his soft locks, “You like it?” 

Taehyun pulled at his restrains, violently trying to shake his head away, trying to convey his message of _no I fucking hate it, get your hands off me!_

The stranger only smirked at his reaction.

“I’m your number one fan.” The stranger took his touch away from Taehyun, walking to the rack that Taehyun _could not look at_ for the life of him. He heard clinking, and he was almost sure he could hear himself crying, but he didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he focused on the other, blank side of the room.

 _What do you want from me?_ Taehyun found himself asking in his head, not that he could speak, his tongue uncomfortably resting on the harsh cloth he was biting down on.

“I love your songs, the way you sing. I love _you,_ mostly…”

Taehyun shuddered. He should be used to this, to people saying they loved him. He was an idol for crying out loud, he was _molded_ to make people fall in love with him. When did he get so unlucky?

“I thought there would never be any way for you to love me back, but then I thought,” the stranger continued to talk, his enthusiastic tone a stark contrast to the situation, “I’m Choi Beomgyu— _Of course_ I could get you to love me back… though it might take some time,” he chuckled darkly.

He was one of those obsessed fans, Taehyun was sure of it. Of all people _why_ did _he_ have to be the one stumbling upon Taehyun’s music?

“It might take some effort, and pain, and a tinge of Stockholm Syndrome,” Beomgyu laughed. What scared Taehyun was that… the laugh was _real,_ it was genuine. It sounded like how his fans laughed when he gave a savage comment at a press conference.

“I will get you to love me back, eventually.” 

_Love._ This guy was taking his delusions too far. Of course Taehyun loved his fans back, but _what kind of love_ was this psycho asking for? Considering his current situation and position on some stranger’s bed, he had a slight inkling.

Taehyun desperately shifts his attention to anything that isn’t Beomgyu. The air began to feel thinner, and Taehyun realized it was because of what he was still wearing.

…at least this guy had some decency to keep him clothed.

Taehyun has never regretted wearing anything as much as he’d regretted wearing this knitted turtleneck.

… until he heard a sound of…

A _blowtorch?_

Taehyun’s head snapped back to the direction of Beomgyu, who was now facing him. He wanted to get away, to get even just an _inch_ farther from him, but his ankles were tied to the opposite corners of the bedpost so how could he?

“Stop that, you’re only causing the ropes to leave more marks on you, wouldn’t want to cut off your blood circulation, right?” Beomgyu said, looking down on Taehyun as he spun the branding iron.

Branding iron.

He gulped, seeing Beomgyu, with his _innocent face,_ spinning a branding iron in his hand as the blowtorch’s blue flame licked at it.

“Anyway… ” Beomgyu said, waiting for the black piece of iron to have a red glow, only then would it be hot enough to use, “Your name, Taehyunnie… it’s been all over. You’re growing famous by the day, aren’t you?”

“I’d love to see my name on _you_ for a change.”

His own sweat seeped into his eyes when he squinted amidst his plight—to see that true to his word, the branding iron contained Beomgyu’s initials. Sweat or tears? He didn’t know, didn’t have the energy to even bother.

“People only brand cattle,” Beomgyu said, Taehyun was in no mood for trivia, “Or like, in the olden times when masters would brand their slaves. Don’t worry, I’m not cooking you, nor will I make you into a slave,” Beomgyu found himself laughing again, “though that _does_ sound like fun…” The edges of the iron began to glow red.

“I just thought it would look good on you,” Beomgyu proceeded to say, placing the blowtorch away from Taehyun’s view and holding up the iron.

Taehyun couldn’t count the times he screamed. And _again,_ he tried to steer away from Beomgyu’s touch. The highest temperature he’s ever come into contact with was a steaming kettle, it probably doesn’t come close to the searing pain he would experience in the next seconds.

“But… _where?_ ” Beomgyu waved the iron stick around, and for a moment, Taehyun feared Beomgyu would brand him on his face.

_“Mmmf,” Nononono—_

“I wonder… if your screams would sound just as good as your vocals,” Beomgyu’s fingers toys at the hem of Taehyun’s knitted clothing, right above belt of his jeans, “we’d just have to find out.”

Before Beomgyu could pull up Taehyun’s top, he retracted his hand, “I have a better idea.”

_“Mmf--”_

Beomgyu tapped a finger on the fabric in the idol’s mouth, “Later.”

The iron was heavy in Beomgyu’s hold, _begging_ to be jabbed on skin. He hummed as he smoothed his free palm onto the material of Taehyun’s pants, flat onto his right knee, until it continued to drag higher up into his inner thigh. Taehyun squirmed away, it was only reflex at this point. The hand squeezed and evened out on the smooth material.

Beomgyu was way too touchy for Taehyun’s liking—but before he could dwell on the uneasiness he felt by Beomgyu’s hand _too close_ to his crotch, a scorching pang of pain struck.

The heat burned through the fabric, the letters on the iron imprinting itself onto Taehyun’s skin. He yelled and kicked as he felt the sizzling, _scalding_ pain, however, that only urged Beomgyu to push the iron deeper.

Only _now_ did Beomgyu remove the cloth—the only thing that prevented Taehyun from yelling his own ears off.

And that’s what the captive idol did, he screamed—something he’s been itching to do since he has woken up. The string of his own shrieks, partnered with curses and swear words he’s probably never had a reason to say in his life, clawed at his throat, like the dragging of a fork on porcelain.

The pain was blinding. Normally, Taehyun would refuse getting tattoos for the sake of keeping his skin clean, and now _this?_

Taehyun’s cloudy eyes stared up onto the ceiling in defeat and just let Beomgyu have his way. He didn’t feel it when Beomgyu removed the iron, his vision got hazier and darker by the second. He knew there was no blood, but it smelled of burned meat. Because it _was_ burning meat, mixed with the material of his pants. Taehyun would never be the same… if he could even get out of here alive.

“ _Please,_ ” was the only word Taehyun let out. _No more…_

But Beomgyu’s fun has only just begun.

Beomgyu stared at Taehyun, _his_ Taehyun, who had endured _that,_ and still looked pretty. The idol’s eyelids nearly closed shut, but before they could, Beomgyu leaned in and placed a kiss on Taehyun’s forehead.

_“Okay, sleep tight, Taehyunnie.”_

Taehyun wondered how Beomgyu possessed such a gentle voice.

. . .

Who knew living alone would be messy? Beomgyu has always assumed that it would bring much needed calmness to his existence, but no. He was in his own laundry room, scraping off the specks of blood from his jacket. If it were Taehyun’s blood, Beomgyu wouldn’t bother cleaning it—but it wasn’t his blood, and any bodily fluid that isn’t from _the_ Kang Taehyun was disgusting for him.

Even if it was his friend’s blood. But that is a story for another day.

He realized he’s been scrubbing too hard when the skin on his fingers began to peel. He really shouldn’t have let the blood dry on it for too long.

Even messier than his clothes, was his head. It buzzed, and Beomgyu thought that maybe it was the lack of music. So, abandoning the still-wet and red-dotted jacket on one of the laundry racks, Beomgyu headed straight to his own room. (He would have loved to visit Taehyun if he weren’t knocked out).

Grabbing his laptop at the edge of his bed and plugging in his headphones into his own ears, he decided to have a research session. He typed in the url of their local newspaper and-- the articles about Taehyun have already been uploaded.

_Idol Kang Taehyun reportedly missing_

_Fans downtrodden and worried at Idol’s sudden disappearance_

_Producers worry for Kang Taehyun + What will become of his acting debut?_

Oh the privilege of having Taehyun conveniently laid out in his basement. And then…

_Choi Soobin on death row_

Beomgyu scrolled further down that article before scrolling back to it again. Choi Soobin on death row? It wasn’t that it shocked him, what Soobin had done really was gruesome and horrific, rather, he felt his heart drop to his stomach, a frown materializing on his face.

Soobin was going to be sentenced to death by a lethal injection and Beomgyu _still_ hasn’t met him? What will become of the body he has previously stacked in his _art room?_ Beomgyu couldn’t just learn from a random taxidermist—he wanted to learn from _him._

…Keeping Taehyun here wasn’t the only reason he lived far from the rest of the world.

Beomgyu clicked on the article, a picture of Soobin in orange being the first thing he saw. After that came the long blocks of words that consisted of blame. Really, he could care less about what the authorities had to say, and skipped right through the comments.

 _“If there’s anything I know about Soobin, it’s that he won’t let himself be killed if given the correct motive. It’s easy for him to escape from prison and even the police. It’s the reason he moved and came back to H***** University. Because he felt his love was in danger, with his brother, Yeonjun. Isn’t it obvious? That’s why Choi Soobin came back. I just hope the authorities double their security this time.”—_ Anonymous.

Now, this comment could be bogus, but Beomgyu could give it a shot.

_Who could the right motive be?_

The comment made sense, from what Beomgyu has gathered from the news, Yeonjun’s brother was Soobin’s boyfriend…

It made sense that Soobin killed Yeonjun if he really was a threat to Kai.

_Kai._

Beomgyu jolted into action, typing like crazy on his laptop and searching for key words that may lead him to anything about Kai.

He would later find out that Kai studies at the same university as his adopted brother, San. He slumped onto the bedframe, letting out a huff.

Who would’ve known Choi Soobin would bring him to wear a uniform and pretend to be a student in HELSSI. 

He’d also have to change his name… and get rid of San before anything else…

_Things are about to get messier, aren’t they?_

. . .

Beomgyu sang one of Taehyun’s songs when he entered the basement.

He guessed Taehyun’s skin and nerve endings didn’t hurt anymore, it would feel more like a discomfort in his thigh. He might not be able to walk properly because Beomgyu has most likely left a minor damage to his leg muscles, minor-- aside from the clear burn of Beomgyu’s initials on him.

He sat himself down on the free space on the mattress where Taehyun was. The idol stirred, tugging at his restraints.

Again, it was so easy to reach out and touch.

“How could you be so perfect, Taehyunnie,” he mused, shamelessly racking his eyes all over the boy.

He reached out and cupped Taehyun’s cheek, running his thumb on the idol’s plush lips, pushing down on his lower lip once in a while to remind himself that this was in fact Kang Taehyun in the flesh. His lipstick from the night prior smudged on Beomgyu’s finger-- Beomgyu was too preoccupied with his fantasies coming to life, to notice Taehyun has woken up, and was staring wide-eyed at him.

Much to his dismay, Beomgyu retracted his own hand.

“I know you have questions.”

So far, Taehyun wasn’t struggling against his touch anymore as he casually rested his palm near the edge of Taehyun’s hip.

“I… are you going to kill me?”

Beomgyu inwardly cooed, now Taehyun was being cute.

Beomgyu shook his head as he turned to face Taehyun. "No, why would I do that? I love you too much to kill you," Beomgyu leaned in closer, daring not to break eye contact.

"Way too perfect."

“Then… why am I here?”

Beomgyu deduced that, maybe being left unconscious has cleared and calmed Taehyun. Beomgyu was surprised at how composed Taehyun was at the moment—docile, even. Beomgyu admits he preferred Taehyun’s defiance the first time.

“To keep me company, of course.”

“You’re lying,” Taehyun breathed, voice ragged and hoarse, head resting on the surface, eyes still connected with Beomgyu’s.

The other snickered, “Of course, I am.”

“What do you want from me?” At last, he’d gathered the strength to ask what he’s been meaning to.

Beomgyu paused to think it over.

“Nothing,” Beomgyu’s hand absentmindedly went from Taehyun’s hip, to the cold, metal silver ring attached to his belt buckle. Taehyun’s breath hitched as Beomgyu licked his lips and uttered his next words.

“But at the same time I also want everything.”

A sudden silence enveloped them, until Taehyun found the power to fight against the trance and speak, though it came out as more of a whisper.

“I’m not kidding. You have to let me go. They're looking for me. My fans, managers, they will find me.”

Beomgyu feigned a look of pity, “No they won’t, Taehyunnie. Sure, you were their cash cow, but they’re a big company. It’s easy for them to replace you, find someone better than you.”

Beomgyu proceeded to talk, fingers now fiddling with the loose threads he found on Taehyun’s knitted top. “But you’re irreplaceable to me. And soon, you wouldn’t want to leave either.”

_Incredulous._

Beomgyu sat up, walking towards the rack Taehyun feared. He didn’t know what urged him to speak, it was probably the tremors he felt in his body as he recalled the flash of pain he went through just earlier that day.

“Please, I’ll give you anything you want—money? Another house? Just please--” Taehyun rambled as Beomgyu carded his fingers through his collection fo sharp objects, “Don’t hurt me anymore.”

The monologue was amusing. But Beomgyu already had everything. Too much of something was bad, right? That was probably why Beomgyu ended up like this. Yearning for affection in his own twisted way.

“I already have everything, Taehyunnie,” Beomgyu said as he took his sharpest blade from the rack, the blade that could easily cut through clothing, “I had too much, actually. That’s why I ran away from it,” he watched the blade glisten, “I don’t… desire anything anymore.”

“Except you,” he said, turning and facing the helpless idol, who was staring, fearing the blade in Beomgyu’s hand.

“Please, god,” Taehyun chocked on a sob, “No--”

Beomgyu laughed off Taehyun’s pleas. Though he would admit, seeing Taehyun beg like this encouraged his next actions.

He moved towards the bed, climbing on, and framing Taehyun’s hips in between his legs, straddling him. The idol didn’t dare breathe, nor look directly at his captor. Heart thumping in his chest, he felt his head throb again, and dare he admit it, _something else_ throb between his legs.

Beomgyu shifted, intentionally grinding down on the idol beneath him to elicit a reaction that made Beomgyu’s heart and pride swell. Again, Taehyun pulled at his restraints, but Beomgyu knew it was for a whole other reason, not that he was trying to resist Beomgyu when his body responded like this.

“Taehyunnie?” Beomgyu purred, hands running all over the other’s clothed torso, continuing the never-ceasing circling of his own hips. One of his hands reached for Taehyun’s brown locks as he pulled, forcing Taehyun’s face into an upward tilt.

“Please,” there it was again. But this time, Beomgyu couldn’t distinguish what he meant.

Please _stop_ or please _more?_

There was not a sliver of resistance from Taehyun on Beomgyu’s end.

Gaze boring deep into Taehyun’s glazed eyes, Beomgyu spoke.

“Repeat after me, Taehyun-ah,” he leered, looming over Taehyun, hands placed on either side of the boy as he sneakily took the blade he left over the covers, “I’m all yours, Beomgyu; I love you, Beomgyu.”

Taehyun’s breathing halted, he wanted to say _No, you don’t own me why the fuck would I say that?,_ but the words caught in his throat.

“C’mon, Taehyunnie, it’s not that hard to say,” Beomgyu said, sternly this time, as he ground down harder and tightened his grip on the strands of Taehyun’s hair.

“No,” Taehyun managed to groan, feeling betrayed by his own body for fucking _enjoying_ this.

“Okay then,” Beomgyu sighed, relishing in the heat in between them. _On to the next best thing._

Beomgyu dove in, catching Taehyun’s lips. It was sloppy, but Beomgyu couldn’t wish for more—Taehyun was still confused, after all. One thing was for certain, though, Taehyun wasn’t even trying to pull away.

The turtleneck that hugged Taehyun’s neck was caught in between Beomgyu’s fingers as he used the blade, sliding it against the material as he felt the threads cut one by one, exposing more of Taehyun’s neck.

Taehyun whined when the cold blade touched his skin, thankfully, it did not draw blood. As Beomgyu cut through the clothing, he moved from Taehyun’s lips, kissing down to his jaw and down the newly exposed caramel skin. Taehyun gulped, and Beomgyu took it as his cue to lick and nip on the skin near his Adam’s apple.

“ _Beomgyu,_ ” Taehyun hoped it came out as a whine of protest, it didn’t though. Beomgyu’s ears perked at the way Taehyun said his name, the effect of hearing it going directly south.

Beomgyu only pulled away when the cut threads on the turtleneck were thin enough to pull apart.

So he did just that, ripping the idol’s top to reveal even more of his luscious skin. His hands roamed all over, Taehyun couldn’t prevent his back from arching when Beomgyu’s tongue started to lap at almost every expanse of skin, his nimble hands tracing the outline of his abs.

Beomgyu’s thoughts were pure sin as he indulged in toying with Taehyun’s sensitive nipples, the tent in his jeans growing harder by the second.

Beomgyu took the blade again, and cut a fine line on Taehyun’s collarbone. It bled, and Taehyun moaned. Beomgyu knew Taehyun liked it.

“Fuck, hmph--” Taehyun was keening again, and the fact that he was trying to keep it in made Beomgyu tick.

Beomgyu took Taehyun by surprise and sucked at the bleeding wound, making the other’s mouth fall open with how overwhelmed he was. Beomgyu kissed Taehyun’s lips again, not bothering to remove the iron taste of Taehyun’s blood. Taehyun was beyond himself—he kissed back with such fervor that made Beomgyu think he’d succeeded.

As soon as Taehyun showed his neediness, Beomgyu thought that was enough. With a final kiss, he pulled away and admired taehyun’s bloodied and swollen lips, his head lolled to the side.

“ _Please, Beomgyu,_ ” Taehyun whined and pushed his own hips against Beomgyu.

The other boy merely chuckled, “Look how the tables have turned, Taehyunnie--” Beomgyu smirked, “Now _you_ want something from _me_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> scream at me as i run away

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so sorry, comments and kudos are appreciated! I kinda wanna know your thoughts on this hehe~
> 
>   
> scream at me:  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/calyxir)  
> [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/calyxir)


End file.
